Distributor



March 27, 1962 c. L. CLEVENGER DISTRIBUTOR Filed June 15, 1959 INVENTOR. Carl L. Clevenger His Attorney 7 3,627,433 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 Plu 3,927,433 DISTRIBUTOR Carl L. Clevenger, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, hiich a corporation of Delaware v Filed June 15, 1959, Ser. No. 820,217

' 9 Claims. (Cl. 200-30) This invent-ion relates to distributors for internal com- I bustion engines and more particularly to a distributor wherein the base assembly thereof is formed of sheet metal'parts.

In known distributor apparatus the base assembly that supportsXthe distributor shaft and other parts of the distributor has generally been formed of cast iron. These base assemblies are formed as a single casting and where the manufacturer supplies distributors for several models of internal combustion engines it is necessary to supply as many castings as there are engines and these may vary widely as to size and shape.

In contrast to the above-described construction, it is an object of this invention to provide a distributor having a base assembly that is formed entirely of sheet metal parts. By the use of sheet Iir etal parts the base assembly becomes lighter in weight andlower in cost than the conventional cast iron base assembly.

Another object of invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a distributor base assembly that is formed of sheet metal parts, the steps including, providing an elongated sheet metal tubular member and then securing thereto a plurality of sheet metal parts to form the complete base assembly. When this method is employed, distributor base assemblies having various shapes and sizes are readily fabricated'from a given number of sheet metal parts which are secured to the tubular member in a predetermined configuration.

A further object of this invention is to provide a distributor having a base assembly that includes a sheet metal tubular member carrying a plurality of sheet metalparts such as locating sleeves and the like and wherein the tubular member rotatably supports the distributor shaft during its rotation.

Further objects and advantages of the present inven-' tion will beapparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown. l

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan View partly in section illustrating a distributor made in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along line 3 -3 of FIGURE 1 with the distributor cap removed.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURE 1, it is seen that thedistributor of this invention comprises a base assembly generally designated by reference numeral 16 which carries the usual distributor cap designated by reference numeral 12. The distributor cap has electrodes which cooperate with a rotor carrying an electrode in the usual manner. The rotor of the distributor is driven by a shaft 14 which is, in turn, driven by the internal combustion engine.

The base assembly of the distributor includes a tubular member designated by reference numeral 16. This tubular member 16 is formed of sheet metal such as steel and it is seen that it extends the entire length of the base assembly 10. The tubular member 16 is formed with openings 18, 20 and 22. as is clearly apparent from the drawing. The member 16 may be formed from flat steel .stock into a tubular shape and then welded along a seam.

The tubular member 16 carries a sheet metal oil cup designated by reference numeral 24, an upper locating sleeve designated by reference numeral 26, a spacer member designated by reference numeral 28 and a lower locating sleeve designated by reference numeral 30. In addition, the tubular member 16 carries a base plate designated by reference numeral 32, the inner side of which ispositioned between oil cup 24 and an outwardly flared portion 34 of member 16. The base plate member 32 has a circumferentially extending portion 36 which fits within a recess formed within the distributor cap 12. The distributor cap 12 is held and supported by the base plate member 32 by one or more spring biased clamps desi nated by reference numeral .38 which are rotatable by a screw driver or the like when it is desired to remove the cap from the base assembly. a

The oil cup 24 has a portion engaging the tubular member 16 and has another portion spaced therefrom that forms a well designated by reference numeral 40. The well at} accommodates a wicking material designated by reference numeral 4-1, as is clearly apparent from FIG- URE 1. A pipe 42 has one end thereof fitted within an opening formed in the .oil cup 2'4. The pipe 42 is welded to the oil cup 24 and is located in alignment with the passage 22 formed in tubular member 16 and is located in alignment with a passage 43 formed in bearing member 44. The bearing member 44 is press-fitted within the tubular member 16 or otherwise secured thereto. The pipe 42 contains a suitable wicking as is clearly apparent from FIGURE 2 and forms a lubricant passage for lubricate ing the bearing member 44.

The upper locating sleeve designated by reference numeral 26 has a circumferentially extending flange portion designated by reference numeral 45 which serves to engage a part of the block of an internal combustion engine when the base assembly is fitted within the block. The lower locating sleeve designated by reference numeral 36 also has a circumferentially extending portion 46 which serves to guide the movement of the base assembly into the block of an internal combustion engine. It is seen that the spacer member 28 spaces the upper locating sleeve 26 from the locating sleeve 30. The spacer member 28 is provided wtih circumferentially extending flange portions 47 and 48 which preferably have the same outer diameter as the portion 46 of lower locating sleeve member 30.

A bearing bushing designated by reference numeral 49 is press-fitted within the lower end of tubular member 16 as isclearly apparent from FIGURE 1. The upper locating sleeve 26 has an oil passage designated by reference numeral 5t) which is located in alignment with the passage 18 while the spacer member 28 has an oil passage 51 located in alignment with the oil passage 20 formed in tubular member 16.

The radial extending portion '34 of tubular member 16 supports a rotatable breaker plate designated by reference numeral 52. The breaker plate 52 carries an upwardly extending retainer member designated by reference numeral 53 which has a close fit with the bearing member designated by reference numeral 44. The breaker plate 52 carries a contact set designated by reference numeral 54 and including an arm 55 carrying a contact 56 which cooperates with fixed contact 57. The arm 55 is pivoted as at 58 and carries a rubbing block designated. by reference numeral 59 which is contacted by the distributor cam designated by reference numeral 66. The distributor cam 60 is driven by the shaft 14 and is supported by the upper end of bearing member 4%. It is. to be understood that the distributor cam 60 is moved relative to the shaft 14 by a suitable centrifugal advance mechanism (not shown). The breaker plate 52 is rotated by a conventional vacuum motor designated by reference numeral 61 in, a manner well known to those skilled in the art;

In manufacturing the base assembly, which is designated by reference numeral 10, the member 16 is formed from flat steel material into a tubular shape, the seam being welded and the tube being cut to a desired length. The outwardly flared portion 34 is then formed. The base plate 32 is also formed of flat steel material and may be drawn to the shape illustrated in FIGURE 1. The sheet metal parts 24, 26, 28 and 30 are also formed from flat steel material, are bent into a tubular shape, then welded along a seam, and then may be extruded and swaged to the required shape and size.

After the various sheet metal parts have been formed in a manner described above, the parts are welded together to form the base assembly. The cup member 24 and the upper locating sleeve 26 are preferably are welded to the tubular member 16 at the point designated by reference numeral 62. The upper locating sleeve 26 and the spacer member 28 are are Welded to the central tubular member at a point designated by reference numeral 63. The lower locating sleeve 30 is welded to the tube 16 while the base plate member 32 is welded both to the tubular member 16 and to the oil cup designated by reference numeral 24. The final base assembly, as is clearly apparent from the drawings, is formed entirely of sheet metal parts and when so formed the bushings 44 and 49 are press-fitted therein and the base assembly is in condition to receive the shaft 14.

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that having a plurality of these sheet metal parts on hand a distributor base assembly may be fabricated that will take various sizes and shapes. It thus is apparent that the tubular member 16 may carry sheet metal parts having various sizes and configurations in order that the distributor base assembly may fit engine blocks of various sizes and shapes. It thus is seen that by the proper assembly of a plurality of sheet metal parts various base assemblies may be fabricated thus obtaining a highly versatile and low cost method of fabricating various distributor base assemblies. In addition, it is to be noted that the base assembly when fabricated from sheet metal parts is much lighter and lower in cost than the conventional cast iron construction.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

'What is claimed is as follows:

1. A base assembly for a distributor formed entirely of sheetmetal parts comprising, an elongated sheet metal tubular member, a sheet metal oil cup member having a portion secured to said tubular member and having a portion spaced therefrom, a sheet metal base platemember secured to said tubular member and to said oil cup member, a sheet metal upper locating sleeve secured to said tubular member, and alower sheet metal locating sleeve secured to said tubular member.

2. A base assembly for a distributor formed entirely of sheet metal parts comprising, an elongated tubular member formed of sheet metal material, said elongated member having an upper outwardly flared portion, a first locating sleeve formed of sheet metal material secured to said 'tubular member and having a circumferentially extending flange, a second locating member formed of sheet metal material secured to said tubular member having a circumferentially extending flange, the flange of said first locating member being of greater diameter than the flange of I saidsecond locating member.

3. A base assembly for a distributor formed entirely of sheet metal parts comprising, a central elongated tubular member formed of sheet metal material, said tubularmember having an upper outwardly directed portion, an

oil cup member formed of sheet metal material having a portion secured to said tubular member and having a portion spaced therefrom to form a cavity, a sheet metal base plate member secured to said tubular member and said oil cup member and positioned therebetween, and

a plurality of locating members formed of tubular sheet metal material secured to said central tubular member.

4. A distributor comprising, a base assembly including an elongated tubular sheet metal member having an upper outwardly flared portion, an oil cup formed of sheet metal material having a portion secured to said tubular member and having a portion spaced therefrom to form an oil well, a base plate member secured to both said tubular member and to said oil cup member and positioned therebetween, a breaker plate supported for rotation on the upper edge of said outwardly flared portion, circuit breaker means carried by said breaker plate,

a cam cooperating with said circuit breaker means, and

a shaft journaled for rotation in said tubular member and connected with said cam.

5. A base assembly for a distributor formed entirely of sheet metal parts comprising, a central tubularsheet metal member having an upperoutwardly flared portion that is adapted to support a rotatable breaker plate, a sheet metal oil cup member secured to said central tubular member adjacent its upper end, a sheet metal base plate member secured to both said tubular member and to said oil cup member and positioned Iherebetween, a first locating sleeve formed of tubular sheet metal material secured to said central tubular member and positioned adjacent said oil cup member, a second locating sleeve formed of tubular sheet metal material encompassing said central tubular member and secured thereto, and a spacer member formed of tubular sheet metal material having a pair of circumferentially extending flanges positioned between said first and second locating sleeves.

6. A sheet metal base assembly for a distributor comprising, an elongated tubular sheet metal member having an upper outwardly flared portion that is adapted to support a rotatable breaker plate, a sheet metal base plate member secured to said central tubular member, a pair of bearing bushings fitted within said tubular member and located at spaced-apart'points, and a plurality of tubular sheet metal members encompassing said'central tubular member and secured thereto, said plurality of tubular sheet metal members forming locating means for said base assembly.

7. A distributor comprising, a base assembly including an elongated tubular sheet metal member having an upward outwardly flared portion, a base plate member secured to said tubular member, a breaker plate supported for rotation on the upper edge of said outwardly flared portion, circuit breaker means carried by said breaker plate, a cam cooperating with said circuit breaker means, and a shaft journalled for rotation in said tubular member and connected with said cam. v t

8. A distributor comprising, a base assembly including an elongated tubular sheet metal member, an annular base plate member secured to said tubular member, said tubular member having an integral section extending above said base plate member, a breaker plate supported for rotation on the upper edge of said integral section, circuit breaker means carried by said breaker plate, a cam cooperating with said circuit breaker means, a shaft journalled for rotation in said tubular member and con- .nected with said cam, and a distributor cap supported by said base member and enclosing said breaker plate and circuit breaker means;

9. A distributor comprising, a base assembly including an elongated tubular sheet metal member, a base plate member secured to said tubular member, said tubular member having an integral section extending above said means, and a pluraiity of locating sleeves secured to the outer periphery of said tubular sheet metal member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Benson Oct. 4, 1949 Baumgardner Apr. 27, 1954 Rabalio et a1 Aug. 3, 1954 Zocchi July 12, 1955 Bennett et a1. Dec. 25, 1956 Frisell Apr. 2, 1957 Farmer July 23, 1957 

